The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of tobacco having a reduced protein content.
Cigarettes are popular smoking articles which have a substantially cylindrical rod shaped structure and include a charge of tobacco (i.e., in cut filler form) surrounded by a paper wrapper thereby forming a tobacco rod. Popular cigarettes include blends of tobacco materials. Some cigarettes have cylindrical filters aligned in an end-to-end relationship with the tobacco rod. Typically, filters are manufactured from fibrous materials such as cellulose acetate and are attached to the tobacco rod using a circumscribing tipping material.
Recently, there has been interest in improving the smoking quality of tobacco. For example, U.K. Patent Application No. 2,069,814 as well as U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,407,307 and 4,537,204 to Gaisch et al, and 4,716,911 to Poulose et al propose processes for reducing the protein content of tobaccos. The proposed processes involve subjecting tobacco to enzymatic treatment in order to reduce the protein content of the tobacco.
It would be desirable to provide a process for efficiently and effectively providing tobacco having a reduced protein content.